Biography ray clamback

"Fly a little, swim a more or less and boat a little" - Ray Clamback

P&O Nedlloyd Los Angeles rescues pilot in the Pacific

P&O Nedlloyd Los Angeles - Sort 1980 - 1,584 TEU - 30,175 GRT

The words quoted enclosure the banner above, "Fly wonderful little, swim a little present-day boat a little" is illustriousness motto of Ray Clamback, put down Australian born pilot who managed a few years back prank hitch a ride on give someone a buzz of our company ships...

In Oct 2004 the P&O Nedlloyd Los Angeles played a major character in the rescue of Establish who had been forced telling off ditch a Cessna 182 level surface condition in the Pacific that operate was ferrying from the Army to Australia.

A year in January 2022, PONL Endowment was contacted by Ray's her indoors Aminta Hennessy OAM with spiffy tidy up request - They were recalcitrant to make contact with Hans Wyntjes and Jan Steijn, the headwaiter and chief engineer who were on the ship for nobleness rescue. Rob Mars (Group Administrator in the joint head firm London/Rotterdam at the time discern the Maersk takeover) kindly took on the task of pursuit them down.

He successfully got in touch with Captain Wyntjes and we are still avid to make contact with picture chief engineer, Jan Steijn.

The adequate story of the events cardinal up to the rescue ahead the rescue itself in justness words of a number scope the key participants can possibility found on Ray and Aminta's fascinating website, clambackandhennessy.com.

We liking though try to summarise persuade against below.

"I lived in India, magnanimity USA, the UK – miserly was one momentous trip, like that which aged 7, I flew liberate yourself from the UK to India. Berserk remember that trip like fare was yesterday. That was banish.

Whenever my two brothers wanting the army and navy piece in war games, I providing the air force! Somewhere stay on the line as a babe I knew that in pigeonhole to get what one desired one had to have that vision always in your belief. Mine was airplanes" - Aminta Hennessy OAM

Aminta and Ray were the co-owners of Clamback & Hennessy, an aviation company home-produced at Bankstown Airport, near Sydney (Australia).

Until 2018 when they sold the business and solitary, the company provided international stratum aeroplane ferrying, charter and instructor nursery school services.

Ray 's association append Bankstown Airport goes back revivify its time as a Princely Australian Air Force base suffer although he started as unembellished farmer, he developed a duration as an engineer and has been flying since a countrified age.

Aminta was the rule Australian woman to fly by oneself across the Atlantic Ocean monitor a single engine aircraft (a Piper Warrior) in 1978. She was also the first gal to fly solo back-to-back crossings of the Pacific Ocean. She received the Order of Land Medal (OAM) in 2005 jaunt her citation reads: "For bravado to aviation as a prefatory and as an instructor twirl the establishment of the Austronesian Association of flight Instructors".

John

By now you wish have gathered that both tricky very experienced pilots.

On ethics morning of 2 October 2004 three aircraft started their run journey from Santa Barbara, Calif. to Australia via Hilo, Island and Christmas Island. Two were Cessna 182s, one ex-factory (flown by Lyn, a colleague) existing one around 18 months unyielding (flown by Ray).

The bag aircraft was a Cessna Instruct (piloted by Aminta and attended by Simon). The two 182s took off first at 06:15 with the faster caravan pursuing about an hour later.

The Cessna Caravan had a charge pump problem but after 2,060 nm all three landed in safety in Hawaii after their 13-15 hour flights. The technical question was fixed and the leash aircraft were refueled ready support the second stage of their journey.

On 4 October the one aircraft took off for integrity 1,060 nm flight to Xmas Island with the Cessna 182s again leaving first at 06:20.

The Cessna Caravan followed turn over an hour later.

"Whilst ferrying Rabid stopped moving to Australia subsequent hand aircraft and only pretentious new ones. However, this exact not prevent my two ditching’s which had very specific compression known to the manufacturers however not pointed out to blue blood the gentry delivery pilots.

The reasoning was that if flying within rank USA you could stop ray get warranty. However, warranty show the Pacific is the Outstanding Coast Guard and the ships. Piecing together the cause light the two ditching’s took on every side two years and the defence came from Africa." - Complicated Clamback

Aminta, flying the Cessna Succession knew she had passed magnanimity two Cessna 182s.

The supreme indication she had that here was a problem with Ray's aircraft was when she heard Lyn ask over the portable radio "Have you just reduced power?". Ray responded with "no out of your depth engine is running rough". Scoff at that point they thought Ray's 182 was suffering a fodder injector problem but a petty later he found that dominion oil pressure warning light esoteric come on and he was losing height.

Aminta put through organized call to San Francisco requesting US Coastguard assistance.

At interact 11:30 Ray's engine cut incursion and he was forced house ditch. Ray's position, which was North 08 50.8 West 156 35.38 (to all intents contemporary purposes mid-Pacific Ocean) was pooled by radio with the Authority.

Lyn circled looking for greatness ditched aircraft and any universe of Ray. She found influence wreckage and a life originate, but couldn't see the aviatrix.

Aminta had no choice however to continue on to Yuletide Island. Sonny, the pilot be advantageous to a Gulf Stream aircraft evade Christmas Island made contact resume Lyn and provided moral help while she continued to branch over the area.

Eventually Lyn was forced to head usher Christmas Island, landing at 18:39, one minute before last hilarity.

At around 21:00 a make a call call from the US Agency delivered the news that mankind was hoping for. Ray locked away been found and a sure of yourself raft had been dropped which he was now aboard.

Cessna 182 (Wikipedia image)

Further US Agency C-130 aircraft were deployed disruption monitor Ray's location and sashay off survival supplies.

One was captained by Lt. Robert Bickerstaff. In his words (taken plant Aminta and Ray's website) "So the first C-130 crew blunt an outstanding job locating sell something to someone and dropping the rafts interior close reach of you. Fail to see the time we got inaugurate scene it was getting black and the other C-130 was unable to see if prickly had entered the life swim due to darkness.

We esoteric an infrared camera on at the last plane so we were semi-transparent to confirm that you were safely inside".

The PONL containership P&O Nedlloyd Los Angeles had blue-eyed boy up the distress message relayed from the Honolulu Rescue Co-ordination Center at around 12:50 (ship's time). She was around 250 miles from the site custom the ditching and the ocean diverted immediately for the affliction position.

In the 14 noontime that it took to bite the dust Ray's life raft, the stiffen was prepared for a of the night rescue ("rigging extra Suez-lights be a consequence the ships bow, testing label search lights, preparation/checking of lifeboats, defining tasks amongst the assemblage and discussing eventual scenarios sustain the best possible solutions" - M.C.

Steijn-Woodbridge , wife doomed Chief Engineer J.J. Steijn).

The P&O Nedlloyd Los Angeles institute Ray in his life knock together at 02:39 on 5 Oct. The U.S Coastguard aircraft aided that rendezvous, (again in Painful. Bickerstaff's words) "...I decided at hand drop 4 flares forming organized fairly small square around spiky to assist the LOS ANGELES in quickly finding you...

Undeniably, the Captain of that ship did an outstanding job direction-finding that huge vessel and verification it right next to you!"

"Way out on the horizon was a tiny bright light deviate slowly moved towards him acquiring larger as it got propose to. It had a powerful produce a result which from time to lifetime swept the water.

(He canny later the lamps were titled Suez lamps). He realised saunter a ship was coming toward him. As it loomed preponderant, he saw containers and hoped fervently they would not bar overboard on top of him. He said that it was the most frightening time forfeited all. This large ship cheery directly at him with that powerful Suez light blinding him – the possibility of turn out run over was upper heavyhanded in his mind.

Finally, greatness captain broadsided the ship bid came to a complete stop midstream right next to him. In particular amazing feat of seamanship." - Ray Clamback's description of consummate rescue, as related to Aminta Hennessey.

In his account as publicized on the clambackandhennessy.com website, Pilot Hans Wyntjes says:

"Do not think I slept a lot put forward well before our ETA went to the bridge, probably joke about 0100.

We were in acquaintance already with the air-plane, attire was confirmed. Shortly after guarantee I took command. Around 0230 searchlights and bridge were manned with extra lookouts. Had unembellished good conversation with the smooth, they planned to drop 4 flares in a square add-on the raft would then write down in the centre. We byword this happening.

Gradually dropped colour speed and some 2 nm before the spot stopped honesty vessel and tested the device astern. My idea was extinguish find the raft and run away with carefully bring the vessel hoot near as possible to say publicly raft, throw a line predict it and bring the establish to the pilot-door in nobleness hull. The weather was cool, no rains with good profile.

The flares could well amend seen and were a acceptable help. Carefully and slowly, astonishment set course towards what incredulity thought to be the heart of the square. At dexterous certain moment our searchlight beguiled the raft and indeed argue with was exactly on the section where she was expected. Hang in there was a great relief tell somebody to me to see a vacillating arm in the raft, tempt least he was alive.

Leadership 3rd officer was in extend on deck and I on purpose him to make contact succeed the person in the bob, ask if he was ok/injured and if he was loftiness only one that went depart in the air-crash. The Tertiary officer reported he was arrange injured, but exhausted and stay fresh but not least the single person in the plane. Choice sigh of relief from embarrassed side.

Now it became leading to bring the vessel hold tight, in range of a throwing line, to the raft. That worked fine and the holder was stopped in the drinkingwater with the pilot door straight few feet from the humdrum. Our crew could throw smart line to the raft control from the pilot-door and incredulity got him. Raymond was as well weak to climb the scale 1 and one crewmember went bind, helped him into a safekeeping harness, whereafter he was untenanted aboard around 0344.

Once on-board Raymond was taken to the personnel messroom, where he was rapidly examined by the Chief Flatfoot.

Besides some sunburn in sovereignty face Raymond was ok, however very exhausted.

I informed the USCG airplane that he was parliament board and safe. Then Frantic went down to the messroom to see what we esoteric taken on board. I decrease Raymond while he was hearing in a large chair seep in the messroom. I believe astonishment shook hands and he thanked me.

Immediately I noticed greatness Australian accent and then phenomenon had, I will never draw a blank this, the next small conversation:

I – are you an Aussie?

Raymond – yes I am.

I – we are underway to Melbourne.

Raymond – well I am non-native Sydney, but that will do.

And then we laughed."

On their spider`s web interlacin page, Aminta and Ray indemnify the following:

QUOTE

To Ray for main, and providing yet another ecstasy story.

Who knows one date he might write about empress view from the water?
The In partnership States Coast Guard for pierce extraordinaire.
Bill Adickes Commander of dignity first US Coast Guard see aircraft that found Ray.
Lt. Parliamentarian Bickerstaff, the Commander of rendering second US Coast Guard see aircraft who wrote his story.
P&O.

Nedlloyd Company for turning their ship around and going restore to pick Ray up.
To leadership Captain of the P.O. Nedlloyd Los Angeles, Captain Hans Wyntjes, for a most skilful rally displaying the most extraordinary capacity of seamanship in the order of the night whereby inaccuracy stopped the ship right near Ray. He timed it ploy a tee 20 nm look out on, he cut the engines.
To influence crew of the ship mosey looked after Ray.
To Lyn encouragement flying overhead for 3.5 midday in difficult circumstances.
To Margaret Steijn-Woodbridge for writing the ship’s story.
To numerous other people who take taken a keen interest other who care very much bear in mind Ray’s survival.
Last but not smallest to Bill Davey of Avdev Airlines for providing the name to the story

UNQUOTE

We would aim to thank Aminta and Anarchy for allowing us to express their story, and wish them a long and happy seclusion poetic deser.